Muhammad Ture (1443-1538), also known as Askia Muhammad I, was the emperor of the Songhai Empire (1493-1528) and the founder of the Askiya/Askia Dynasty. His uncle Sunni/Sonni Ali Ber (reigned 1464-1492) was the third monarch of the Sunni/Sonni Dynasty, who, through continuous warfare, destroyed the former suzerain Mali Empire. Mohammad Dur served as a senior general in his uncle's court and also achieved a series of military achievements. After the death of Soni Ali, his son Barro ascended to the throne, but within a year, he was usurped by the deeply rooted Mohammad Dur, ending the rule of the Sonic dynasty. At that time, Dur was already fifty years old and could be considered a late bloomer.

In African classical civilizations, the Sanghai civilization is second only to the Egyptian civilization - Scholar Dubois' evaluation of the Sanghai civilization
In the development of human civilization, Black Africa (referring to sub Saharan Africa, also known as Central and South Africa) started not late, but due to geographical barriers and many other reasons, most areas did not break free from their primitive state until the Middle Ages. But from the 5th to the 16th century, Central and South Africa also developed a series of kingdoms and empires, which had the following characteristics: extensive cross Saharan trade with North Africa, a large standing army, and an effective taxation system. The Sanghai Empire, which flourished in the 15th century, was the culmination of ancient West African countries, and Mohammad Dur was the most powerful representative of this empire. His series of reforms left many legacies for future generations and have had an impact until contemporary times. For this reason, Mohammad Dur ranks first among the 100 emperors of Black Africa in the world's most influential rankings.

After Muhammad Dur came to power, he began to implement reforms. The first is to reform the military system. During the Sony dynasty, a system similar to compulsory military service was implemented, with a large number of troops on the surface but low combat effectiveness, which seriously hindered agricultural production. Dur implemented professionalization and simplification of the military, and incorporated conquered ethnic groups into the army, improving the establishment of infantry, cavalry, and sailors. Subsequently, Dur continued the conquest of the Sony dynasty and, after ten years of warfare, established a vast empire that extended from Agadez in the east, to the bend of the Niger River in the south, to the upper reaches of the Senegal River in the west, and deep into the Sahara Desert in the north. Its ruling territory encompasses the wealthiest plains of West Africa, surpassing the heyday of the Mali Empire. Muhammad Dur was also revered as the "Great of Askia".
Mohammad Dur established a complete centralized governing system. Established various ministers directly under the emperor, divided the provinces, and appointed his confidants as the provincial governors. He attached great importance to the construction of water conservancy, excavated canals in the upper reaches of the Niger River, developed mineral resources, unified imperial weights and measures, and protected the smooth flow of trade routes and the safety of commercial travelers. In his era, the economy of the Sanghai Empire also reached its peak. But it must be pointed out that the Sanghai Empire was a country with highly developed slavery, and its prosperity was built on the sweat and blood of slaves.
Muhammad Dur is a devout believer of Allah and a faithful follower of Prophet Muhammad. During the Sony dynasty, the worship of elves and the belief in animism among the indigenous people of West Africa continued in religion, which caused dissatisfaction among Muslim merchants. Muslims played a major role in the cross desert trade of the Sanghai Empire and had a significant impact on the empire's economy. After Muhammad Dur ascended the throne, he established Islam as the state religion and treated Islamic scholars and merchants well. From 1497 to 1498, he crossed the vast Sahara Desert with the escort of 1000 infantry and 500 cavalry, and went to the holy city of Mecca for worship. His experience of donating 300000 gold coins became a popular topic in the Islamic world, and he was recognized as the caliph of West Africa by the Islamic world as a result.
The promotion of Islam enabled the Sanghai Empire to better accept advanced culture from the north. In his era, the culture of the Sanghai Empire experienced a temporary prosperity, especially after the fall of the last Islamabad fortress in Spain, Grenada, in 1492. A large number of Islamic educators fled south and were taken in and treated well by Mohammad Dol, which further promoted the development of cultural undertakings in West Africa. Timbuktu City has become the center of West African culture, while Sangor University has become the center of academia.